Nicklaus hit the ball as far, if not farther, relative to today’s players with their technological advances – especially when you consider the wound/balata balls and persimmon woods that he hit. So, he is in a very good place to lead this conversation.

2

Number of victories, in 32 career starts, for 27-year-old Englishman Matt Wallace, who defeated countryman Andrew “Beef” Johnston on the first playoff hole to win the European Tour’s Hero Indian Open. Wallace, who played college golf at Jacksonville (Ala.) State, closed with 4-under 68 to share the lead with Johnston (66) at 11-under 277 after 72 holes at DLF Golf and Country Club in New Delhi. Wallace made a two-putt birdie on the par-5 18th hole to beat Johnston’s par in the playoff. American Sihwan Kim (68) placed third at 8-under 280. Johnston, who won the Portugal Open in May, won six times in the 2016 Alps Tour season to earn a place on the Challenge Tour (scores).

Announced: By Justin Rose, that he will skip the WGC Match Play on March 21-25 at Austin (Texas) Country Club. Rose cited the timing of the event, only two weeks before the Masters, as an inopportune time to be playing match play while preparing for the season’s first major championship. Last week, Henrik Stenson also said that he would not compete in the WGC Match Play, which invites the top 64 players in the Official World Golf Ranking as of today.

Streamsong Black, the Gil Hanse design at Streamsong Resort, has been named best new development of the year by Golf Inc., the central Florida resort announced. The Black course is part of a 54-hole resort located about an hour east of Tampa.